Conference Realignment Thread v. 2016

[GoldenWarrior11]

UConn really put themselves into a tough spot with their loss to Wagner on Friday night. They still need to play UNC, OK State, Syracuse, Ohio State and Auburn before AAC play - which only fuels the narrative that UConn needed a stronger OOC schedule because of the weak-bottom of the AAC (Tulane, ECU - play twice, USF - play twice, and UCF - play twice) - something they never needed to have in the Big East.

The loss also, fairly or unfairly, goes along with the narrative that Kevin Ollie is not a big-time college basketball coach capable of leading a power program with sustained success. The perception, again fairly or unfairly, is that Ollie won the 2014 NCAA Championship with Jim Calhoun's players and program. With his guys, they have missed the NCAA Tournament completely (2015) and lost in the second round (2016). This loss does not help dismiss this notion.

One of the biggest ramifications of realignment is that UConn, which should have been (and still be) the clear cut top program in the AAC by a wide margin, has not been running away in basketball in the AAC. They have yet to finish first in a regular season. They have lost at least six games each year. They have not finished higher than fifth since Louisville left. Allowing teams like Houston, SMU, Temple, Tulsa, Memphis and Cincinnati to consistently finish about them not only helps those programs immensely, but also hurts the perception of being a national program for UConn. Long term, those finishes and perceptions will really add up.

[Demon22]

I've reversed my position on UConn.

I think we should let them in.

DePaul needs someone in this friggin' conference that we can beat.

[Burrito]

UConn loses to Northeastern 64-61. First 0-2 start in 50 years.

[SJHooper]

1. GO NOVA GO! Really great win...I swear this program just pulls it out every time it seems. Ice in their veins. Credit Jay Wright...man crush alert.

2. Seeing UConn (and the AAC) crash and burn feels amazing. I used to get killed for saying UConn has done nothing (by UConn standards) since Calhoun and the Big East fingerprints were totally off the program. As I predicted, living in the AAC would slowly rot away at their prestige and you can see the cracks on their foundation. They just lost to Wagner and Northeastern. Back to back mid major teams. At home! UConn thinking it can be Texas in football someday killed their athletics and it will only get worse as they were left out of the B12.

[Hoya Hoya Hoya]

The Boneyard right now is LOL funny

[GoldenWarrior11]

Huge night for the Big East. Nova wins tight game at Purdue, Marquette wins big and UConn gets embarrassed by Northeastern.

UConn is 0-2 for the first time in 50 years, and they have been ranked for only 26 of the past 82 weeks. That's 31% of the time. That right there is proof of the effect of being dropped down from the Big East to the American. The AAC (and the argument can be made for ESPN too) is crippling UConn athletics with each passing day and season. The longer they are there, the more prestige they lose. The question becomes when, if ever, does UConn realize its mistake and move on from it? Or do they continue to spend recklessly and foolishly in attempt to buy their way back into the power conferences?

[stever20]

Huge night for the Big East. Nova wins tight game at Purdue, Marquette wins big and UConn gets embarrassed by Northeastern.

UConn is 0-2 for the first time in 50 years, and they have been ranked for only 26 of the past 82 weeks. That's 31% of the time. That right there is proof of the effect of being dropped down from the Big East to the American. The AAC (and the argument can be made for ESPN too) is crippling UConn athletics with each passing day and season. The longer they are there, the more prestige they lose. The question becomes when, if ever, does UConn realize its mistake and move on from it? Or do they continue to spend recklessly and foolishly in attempt to buy their way back into the power conferences?

The question though is it the AAC or is it Ollie as a coach? Losing to 2 teams like this is on Ollie quite frankly and doesn't have a damn thing to do with the AAC. Teams can be very successful outside the normal power conferences in college basketball. See Gonzaga as a prime example. Hell, see Butler and Xavier before they joined the Big East. Frankly it's more Ollie than it is the AAC.

[Noonzy]

It is Ollie. They have had super recruiting classes coming in and they do nothing. Ollie sits on the sideline and makes that "sour milk" face. He doesn't develop players, no D and it goes on.

[BEhomer]

AAC as a whole is not doing well either. I heard they have one top 100 recruit coming in for 17? one for the entire conference? that's the number I bet even Stever can't spin as positive.

and I wonder if that recruit is having second thoughts seeing his future team is struggling to get a win in November.

[milksteak]

AAC as a whole is not doing well either. I heard they have one top 100 recruit coming in for 17? one for the entire conference? that's the number I bet even Stever can't spin as positive.

and I wonder if that recruit is having second thoughts seeing his future team is struggling to get a win in November.

But how many recruits in the Top 438 do they have? That changes everything.